Naval Academy

Congressman Adam Schiff nominated several students from the foothills communities for admission to a U.S. Service Academy. If accepted, these students will join the Class of 2010. There are four service academies that require a nomination, usually from a member of Congress. Each academy offers young men and women a free college education at a nationally-recognized academic program while preparing them for an officer's commission in the armed forces. The academies are the Air Force Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, the Military Academy at West Point and the Naval Academy.

Last weekend, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles hosted the NCAA Final Four in men's water polo. The west coast was represented by USC, Berkeley, and University of California at San Diego. The sole representative from the east coast was the Naval Academy. Playing for Navy was La Crescenta resident Steve Craney, a 2004 graduate of Crescenta Valley High, who helped lead the midshipmen of Annapolis to an east coast championship season of 25 -- 4. Craney, one of two goalies for the Navy team, is in his third year at the Academy.

KIRKEBY -- WILKS Konita Lee Kirkeby and Kyle Lowell Wilks have announced their plans to marry on July 4. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Len and Carolee Kirkeby of La Canada Flintridge. She graduated in 1994 from La Canada High School and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. She is the granddaughter of Waneta Foutch Harlow and the late M.S. "Barney" Foutch of Indiana and Mildred Kirkeby and the late H.S. "Hank" Kirkeby of South Dakota. The bridesgroom-to-be is the son of Dr. and Mrs. G.L. Wilks of Naples, Italy, formerly of Newport Beach, and Mr. and Mrs. Joe Morreale of Lake Arrowhead.

DeAndre Cortez Way is a 17-year-old kid from Atlanta, Georgia. Last year, when he was only 16, DeAndre wrote, created and self-produced a hip hop dance single called Crank That Soulja Boy. He also marketed the single under his own label. He did this with just his home PC and a good Internet connection. In September, Crank That Soulja Boy hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. No one was surprised. Kids everywhere, even Midshipmen at the Naval Academy, had begun to dance the stylized choreographed hip hop steps, as demonstrated online by young DeAndre, now known as “Soulja Boy Tell’em.

Robert Chacon Helping cancer victims was one of Andrew Torres' last thoughts before he died from the disease last year at age 23. The La Canada Flintridge resident's last request before dying April 3 of liver cancer was that his family and friends do something to benefit cancer research, his father Leonard Torres said. "It didn't surprise me when I heard that Andrew asked this," said Noelle Ito, who attended Flintridge Preparatory Academy with Andrew Torres.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) on Thursday announced 10 nominations from his district for U.S. service academies, class of 2017. Half the student nominees hail from Burbank and Glendale, while two others are from Pasadena. Four of the five United States service academies -- Air Force, Merchant Marine, Military at West Point, and Navy -- require a Congressional nomination in order to receive an appointment. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, does not. The academies offer a free college education while preparing students for an officer's commission in the Armed Forces.

As Young Tae Seo leaves the Crescenta Valley High boys' swimming program in his rearview mirror, there's no doubt his coach, teammates and the Falcons faithful will look back and remember him fondly. Over these past four years, Seo racked up 15 Pacific League and 10 CIF Southern Section Division II championships before he graduated from Crescenta Valley in June. He currently holds seven of 11 league records and two Division II standards. Seo, who's headed to the Naval Academy next year, earned the All-Area Boys' Swimmer of the Year award in each of his high school seasons.

Joseph Welliver, a 2002 graduate of John Burroughs High School, was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps. Welliver is stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He is the son of Pamela Vargo, brother of Samantha Vargo, and the twin brother of Crystal Welliver, all of Burbank. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. James P. Blecksmith, a 1999 graduate of Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada Flintridge, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and was commissioned to his current rank in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Chuck Sambar We just learned that our son, Christopher, will be heading to Iraq in a couple of weeks. This is his second tour of duty to that troubled and dangerous part of the world. I am proud of this homegrown young man who attended the Glendale schools, graduated from Crescenta Valley High, and received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. After graduating from the Academy, he received the most sophisticated and advanced training as a U.S. Navy Special Forces SEAL Team Officer.

Hamlet Nalbandyan GLENDALE -- J.P. Blecksmith was a leader. That's how this community remembers the 21-year-old, 6-foot-3, 221-pounder. As the quarterback for the Flintridge Prep football team in the late 1990s, he did just about anything one can ask of a player. Back then, the Rebels were a little less conservative with their offense. Of course, that's a lot easier with a guy like Blecksmith calling the shots. He had the arm to throw 60-plus yards downfield at will, the scrambling ability to avoid blitzing defenses, and the heart to be among the area's top linebackers.

As Young Tae Seo leaves the Crescenta Valley High boys' swimming program in his rearview mirror, there's no doubt his coach, teammates and the Falcons faithful will look back and remember him fondly. Over these past four years, Seo racked up 15 Pacific League and 10 CIF Southern Section Division II championships before he graduated from Crescenta Valley in June. He currently holds seven of 11 league records and two Division II standards. Seo, who's headed to the Naval Academy next year, earned the All-Area Boys' Swimmer of the Year award in each of his high school seasons.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) on Thursday announced 10 nominations from his district for U.S. service academies, class of 2017. Half the student nominees hail from Burbank and Glendale, while two others are from Pasadena. Four of the five United States service academies -- Air Force, Merchant Marine, Military at West Point, and Navy -- require a Congressional nomination in order to receive an appointment. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, does not. The academies offer a free college education while preparing students for an officer's commission in the Armed Forces.

Seven years after his first wife, Mary, died of cancer, Glendale school board member and past president Chakib ?Chuck? Sambar, a resident of La Cañada Flintridge, is facing the disease again with his current wife, Lois. But, though he calls it a ?terrible, tragic disease,? Sambar is hopeful for the future and confident strides in cancer research have progressed in recent years. Those strides are a direct result of public support through donations and participation in fund-raising efforts, such as the upcoming Foothills Relay for Life, Sambar said.

DeAndre Cortez Way is a 17-year-old kid from Atlanta, Georgia. Last year, when he was only 16, DeAndre wrote, created and self-produced a hip hop dance single called Crank That Soulja Boy. He also marketed the single under his own label. He did this with just his home PC and a good Internet connection. In September, Crank That Soulja Boy hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. No one was surprised. Kids everywhere, even Midshipmen at the Naval Academy, had begun to dance the stylized choreographed hip hop steps, as demonstrated online by young DeAndre, now known as “Soulja Boy Tell’em.

Last weekend, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles hosted the NCAA Final Four in men's water polo. The west coast was represented by USC, Berkeley, and University of California at San Diego. The sole representative from the east coast was the Naval Academy. Playing for Navy was La Crescenta resident Steve Craney, a 2004 graduate of Crescenta Valley High, who helped lead the midshipmen of Annapolis to an east coast championship season of 25 -- 4. Craney, one of two goalies for the Navy team, is in his third year at the Academy.

The Assembly Education Committee has approved legislation written by state Sen. Jack Scott, a Democrat whose district includes La Cañada Flintridge, Glendale and Burbank, for adding 100,000 teachers over the next 10 years in California. The bill provides a $6,000 incentive bonus for teachers who work in high-priority, at-risk schools. It also calls for reducing barriers for teachers trained in different states, consolidating the numerous test requirements for credentialing and establishing mentor programs for experienced teachers to work with new teachers.

Rep. Adam Schiff nominated 14 students from his district -- including six from Glendale or Burbank -- for admission to a U.S. service academy. Each of the four service academies -- the Air Force Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, the Military Academy at West Point, and the Naval Academy -- require a nomination, usually from a Congress member. Each academy offers young men and women a free college education at a nationally recognized academic program while preparing them for an officer's commission in the armed forces.

Congressman Adam Schiff nominated several students from the foothills communities for admission to a U.S. Service Academy. If accepted, these students will join the Class of 2010. There are four service academies that require a nomination, usually from a member of Congress. Each academy offers young men and women a free college education at a nationally-recognized academic program while preparing them for an officer's commission in the armed forces. The academies are the Air Force Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy, the Military Academy at West Point and the Naval Academy.

Chuck Sambar We just learned that our son, Christopher, will be heading to Iraq in a couple of weeks. This is his second tour of duty to that troubled and dangerous part of the world. I am proud of this homegrown young man who attended the Glendale schools, graduated from Crescenta Valley High, and received an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. After graduating from the Academy, he received the most sophisticated and advanced training as a U.S. Navy Special Forces SEAL Team Officer.

Robert Chacon Helping cancer victims was one of Andrew Torres' last thoughts before he died from the disease last year at age 23. The La Canada Flintridge resident's last request before dying April 3 of liver cancer was that his family and friends do something to benefit cancer research, his father Leonard Torres said. "It didn't surprise me when I heard that Andrew asked this," said Noelle Ito, who attended Flintridge Preparatory Academy with Andrew Torres.